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Knicks @ Heat 2/27 8:00 pm

Knicks are back in action on Feb. 27 when they head to Miami to take on the Heat at 8:00 p.m.

This is the final of four meetings and the second of two in Miami.

New York trails the season series 2-1, winning the most recent meeting 93-88 at the Garden on Jan. 27.

New York lost four straight in Miami last winning on Mar. 12, 2008, snapping a seven-game losing streak with a 91-88 win at AmericanAirlines Arena. Jamal Crawford led the way with 23 points and five assists.

Amar’e Stoudemire is averaging 26 points and 9.7 rebounds over 40 minutes in three games against Miami. Landry Fields is averaging nine points and 8.3 rebounds. Dwyane Wade is averaging 33.3 ponts and 11 rebounds and LeBron James, 24.7 points and 10.7 rebounds, against New York.

Connections
Andy Rautins and Heat center Joel Anthony were teammates on the Canadian National team coached by Andy’s father Leo, in the 2010 World Basketball Championships in Turkey…Heat guard Eddie House played part of the 2009-2010 season for the New York Knicks after being acquired from Boston with J. R. Giddens and Bill Walker in exchange for Nate Robinson and Marcus Landry on Feb. 18, 2010… Bill Walker played alongside Eddie House in Boston for parts of two seasons from 2008-2010…House played alongside Amar’e Stoudemire in Phoenix under coaches Mike D’Antoni, Dan D’Antoni and Phil Weber during the 2005-06 season…Knicks forward Sheldon Williams, Bill Walker and Eddie House were teammates in Boston for part of the 2009-10 season…Shawne Williams played with Heat center Erick Dampier in Dallas during the 2008-2009 season …Dampier played for the Pacers for the 1996-1997 season when Donnie Walsh served as the President of the Pacers Basketball Corporation… …Shawne Williams and Heat center Jamaal Magloire played together for part of the 2008-2009 season for the Dallas Mavericks.

Starting Lineups

.. Erik Dampier

OFFICIAL JPZ PREDICTION

Knicks- 111

Heat- 109

Screw you Lebron, Wade, Bosh, Johnson, Boozer, and whoever else thought somewhere else is better than New YorkGo New York Knicksssss!

Am I the only one that's scared that this team might lose a lot of games?

I think we've become a worse defensive squad after this trade, and D'Antoni just frustrates me.

I don't know maybe I just look at the worst case scenarios all the time, but honestly sometimes I think its harder to be a hardcore fan of a team than actually be on the team, I just hope that everyone on our Knicks actually want to win and care a lot. Especially Carmelo, I want this guy to succeed so much.

I don't think we've become a worse defensive squad after this game. Billups is a better defender than Felton, Fields is Fields, Amar'e is Amar'e, Carmelo and Gallo is a wash (Melo can play better defense when he's trying but he rarely does so it's one of those things) and Turiaf is Turiaf...

Off the bench, we lost Wilson Chandler but if D'Antoni were to make use of Corey Brewer we'd be great

This should be a good benchmark for where we are. The Knicks definitely have to rebound better as a team. Defensively we're going to leak points but we have to make them pay when they do miss a shot. Hell I was playing Boston on nba2k11 and Delonte West got 3 straight offensive rebounds.

My lasting memories of the last Knicks/Heat game were.

Field's 3 - Want to see more of those
Gallo's 3(s) - Won't be seeing more of those
Alicia Keys looking hot as hell and bouncing up and down - DEFINITELY want to see more of that.

I don't think we've become a worse defensive squad after this game. Billups is a better defender than Felton, Fields is Fields, Amar'e is Amar'e, Carmelo and Gallo is a wash (Melo can play better defense when he's trying but he rarely does so it's one of those things) and Turiaf is Turiaf...

Off the bench, we lost Wilson Chandler but if D'Antoni were to make use of Corey Brewer we'd be great

The main thing we lost with the trade was continuity, cohesion and depth on BOTH sides of the ball. We will probably lose our next two games (Miami and Orlando) but I also think that those two games will provide the on-the-job training our guys need to gel and figure out their new style of play. After playing those good teams we should be ready to beat the "not-as-good" opponents following the Orlando game (NO, Cavs, Utah, Memphis).

It will also help when we get Jeffries back and possibly another (somewhat) Big that doesn't end up in Miami or Boston maybe like Powe or someone. Don't worry guys, it will get better. I hope.

Regardless of the outcome in this game, I'm giving this team another week or 2 to get more adapted to the pace & to each other's tendencies as teammates before I read too much into their play. The Heat were barely a .500 team the first month & a half of the season & this was after a full summer of training camp to get to know each other & get accustomed to Spoelstra's system, but after October a lightbulb went off & they caught their stride & lost only 1 game in the month of November. After that they were clicking on all cylinders & haven't looked back.

I honestly think we have a chance to win if we've practiced accordingly, Bosh has another shocker, starting 5 stays out of foul trouble, we play some f'ing defence and rebound and stop LeBron in transition.